


Snow for kisses

by symphorine



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Agender Malia, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Christmas, Fluff, Getting Together, Other, Snow, demiguy derek, transfeminine kira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 11:11:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5867086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/symphorine/pseuds/symphorine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malia is staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. Apparently, so is Kira, their friend and, incidentally, their crush. Lydia thinks it’s a perfect opportunity - Malia tries not to think too much about it.</p><p>-</p><p>written for the <a href="http://transwolfnetwork.tumblr.com">transwolfnetwork</a> 2015 christmas exchange</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snow for kisses

**Author's Note:**

> I think I should apologize for the title because it's really really bad, but I didn't have any idea. Also I realize Christmas was a month ago but I kinda forgot to post it here too. 
> 
> Other than that, mostly fluff. I'm not even sure I can write somehing else at this point.
> 
> Enjoy!

The excited chatter flooded the castle’s corridors, even this early in the morning. You could hear Christmas carols sung by both the students and the paintings’ subjects, and though it hadn’t snowed yet, the trees standing in the Great Hall and around the castle were covered by a thin white powder, forming shapes of snowflakes and snowmen and sledges pulled by various creatures. The ghosts declaimed stories about their own Christmas times, from when they were a bit more alive, to anyone who would listen.

None of the ambient happiness reached Malia as they finished reading the letter their father had sent. They resisted the urge to crumble it and throw it in the common room’s fire later, but neatly folded it and almost slammed it on the table. A few nearby students looked curiously at them, but a glare made them go back to their own breakfast quick enough.

“He’s working for Christmas this year too?” asked a voice right behind them.

Malia didn’t jump. They’d been accustomed to their cousin coming out of nowhere without a noise for some time now, though the other kids were looking at Derek with something between amazement and fear. They only answered with a tight nod. Derek sighed and sat on the bench, ignoring his chair at the professors’ table.

“I’m going to see Laura and Cora,” he said. “Do you want to come?”

“Thanks, but no. I know you’ve been waiting for this since the first day in September, I don’t wanna intrude.”

“You wouldn’t,” Derek insisted. “And they would be happy to see you too.”

Malia shrugged, pushing a strand of hair back behind their ear.

“It’s not the first time I’ll spend Christmas here. I’ll be okay.”

“The offer still stands if you change your mind,” Derek offered.

“I know,” Malia answered, rolling their eyes. “Now go or you’ll be late again.”

Derek huffed at that, but he had too much of a reputation about his lack of punctuality to protest. He put his hand on their shoulder and squeezed once, lightly, before he went to eat his own breakfast.

Malia went through class like nothing could reach them. They barely paid attention in Potion, got all their charms completely wrong, and couldn’t even listen as Lydia tutored them in History of Magic, sitting in a warm corner of the Great Hall after the day’s classes were over. The other Slytherin huffed after a few minutes and stopped in the middle of her sentence when she realized they weren’t getting anything done.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, putting down their heavy History of Magic book.

“Nothing bad,” Malia shrugged. “I’m staying for Christmas,” they added as Lydia raised her eyebrow, not fooled by the weak lie.

She pursed her lips but didn’t comment. They’d know each other for six years now, and she knew about Malia’s family, about the accident, and the few remnants of family they had. It wasn’t the first time their father had to work for this time of the year, and though she knew – and so did Malia – that it wasn’t his fault, she felt a flare of anger. Her friend deserved better than staying at the school and watch as everyone else, including their cousin, was going home to see their family.

“It’s fine,” Malia sighed as they realized what expression Lydia was wearing. “I can’t say I’m happy, but I expected it. We’ll still send letters, you know.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have to stay here.”

“It’s not like I’ll be alone.”

“You can’t make me believe you’re ecstatic at the prospect of spending two weeks with twelve-year-old brats who will just scream and yell and run after each other in the rooms day and night.”

“They scream because of me more often than not,” Malia smiled, their teeth bared. “And, well, there’s that, but there are people from other houses staying, too.”

“Like who?”

“Kira, for one.”

Malia instantly regretted their words when Lydia smiled knowingly, a mocking whistle low enough that they were the only ones to hear it leaving her mouth.

“Oh, well if your crush is staying, then it can’t be that bad,” Lydia teased. “Maybe you’ll even finally grab yourself by the hand and ask her out.”

“Yeah, well, she’s the Gryffindor, not me.”

“Please, like you’ve never done anything reckless yourself. I remember a few escapades-”

“Okay, okay,” Malia conceded, rolling their eyes. “If I have the opportunity, I’ll try. Happy?”

“I’d be happier if I heard good news on that front before Christmas, but that will do. Want to go and join them?” Lydia added, pointing at a group with scarfs of various colors sitting at the Gryffindor table.

Malia glanced in that direction, and saw Kira first, as usual. Her long black hair was tied in a loose ponytail and she had rolled up her sleeves, showing a wand movement to her Hufflepuff friend Scott. She let it fall and they both started laughing, sending the whole group in hilarity as Kira fumbled to retrieve it before her housemate Allison held it out to her.

“Forget it, I’m not giving you a choice,” Lydia interrupted. “Come on.”

She got up and gathered their things, tugging Malia by the hand towards the others. Malia felt their cheeks heat up and tried to will them to a normal color, without success. They mostly stopped caring about that when Kira gave them a blinding smile when they reached her.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, still waving her wand around. “You seemed off today. Feel better now?”

“Mostly, yes,” Malia answered, sitting right there after Lydia pressed them down. “It’s nice of you to notice, though.”

“Of course I did,” Kira smiled. “We all did, we just weren’t sure if you wanted to talk about it.”

“It wouldn’t really help anything,” Malia refused, shaking their head.

“You’re staying during the break too?” Lydia chimed in innocently.

“Yes. My mom is in Japan and my dad’s been designated to stay here this year, so,” Kira answered.

“Don’t you stay too?” Allison asked Malia.

The way she mirrored exactly Lydia’s innocent face made it obvious they were trying to meddle, but Malia couldn’t stop them now.

“Man, I wish I could bring you both home, it can’t be fun to stay behind for two weeks,” Scott lamented.

“Sure, twist the knife in the wound,” Lydia said.

“Oh. Yeah, sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Malia said. “At least we won’t be alone.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure we’ll be able to distract each other from the kids running around,” Kira sighed, putting an arm around Malia’s shoulder.

Malia ignored the pointed look they got from Lydia and tried to slow down their heartbeat.

* * *

Looking at everyone taking the train was draining, but the worst was probably the silence afterward. As exhausting as it all could be, the air felt empty without the shouts and cries from the others students, only filled by the few trills some birds were still brave enough to sing. Malia was wrapped in a warm, heavy coat, their hands deep in the pockets, a contrast to Kira’s light clothes. The girl looked like she was always warm. The clouds were a cottony white as they walked back to the castle.

“I hope it snows for Christmas,” Kira said, looking up.

“It probably will,” Malia answered dryly. “Great.”

“Don’t even try to complain, I know you like snow,” Kira smiled, looking at them now. “I saw you play with everyone else last year, and the year before that.”

“And you didn’t notice me before then?”

Malia almost didn’t finish their sentence, feared it would be too weird, but they had been psyching themselves up, with great encouragements from Lydia and Allison. They felt the tip of their ears go pink under their hat, but didn’t retract their words.

“I was kind of too wrapped up in my own world to notice everyone back then,” Kira answered after a beat. “I mean, Derek’s your cousin, right? He probably told you.”

“Told me what?” Malia frowned.

They had taken the long road and were walking by the lake, their breathes forming white puffs of smoke with each word and step.

“Well, uhm, you know how I used to go by another name?”

“Yeah, and other pronouns, like me,” Malia answered lightly.

“That too. Well, Derek kind of helped me through that. I was too afraid to talk to my family or anyone else, but I knew he’d been in, well, the reverse position I guess. Well, his identity is different, of course, since he feels most like a guy, and the changes weren’t the same, but I figured he’d been through a similar process. So I talked to him.”

“I wonder how you found the courage to do that. I know him outside of work, and he still looks intimidating sometimes, and definitely not often open to discussion,” Malia commented.

“Yeah, I’ll admit that I was pretty scared of him, but – well, actually, what I said was wrong. I’d noticed you back then, because he was always checking up on you.”

Malia remembered. That had been right after the accident, after they’d lost their mom and sister. That hadn’t been a good year. And the fire after that…

“It made him look less like he was unapproachable, you know?” Kira continued after a short pause. “And then he encouraged the formation of a club for LGBT kids, explained about himself and realizing he was a demiguy, and explained about all those other things, and I thought, if I can’t ask him, then who?”

“And he helped you?”

“A lot, though he was very reluctant at first. Not about helping itself, but he just kept saying he didn’t know what to do to help me. He started showering me with pamphlets and websites to look up when I could get in a Muggle area before he really talked to me, but even that helped.”

“He definitely didn’t tell anything, then, because his sisters would have taken over and made him do something better than that,” Malia snorted.

“I’m glad. I mean, I knew he didn’t tell anybody back then, but I thought he might have since I came out.”

“He doesn’t share a lot,” Malia said. “Most of the time it’s his sister prying info out of him.”

“Must make for fun family gatherings,” Kira winced.

“Well, he must not hate it that much, since he went back.”

There was a new silence after that, a little more awkward. Malia knew they’d let a note of bitterness through, but they couldn’t help it. Even with Kira there, they longed for the comfort of home, a hug with their father and a few days spent, just the two of them, away from people. Well, most people.

“Hey, wanna have a sleepover?” Kira asked suddenly.

She became a little pinker under the surprised eyes of Malia, but stammered on.

“I’m the only one in my dormitory, and you’re the only one in yours, and nobody would care if we slept in the same room for a few nights, and I like having someone else there, you know? But if you don’t want it’s okay, maybe you-”

“No, no, I’d like to,” Malia interrupted, fighting off a smile, their right hand going through their hair, suddenly shaking a little. “Your room or mine?”

“I don’t know, pick one.”

“Yours, then,” Malia said. “You’ve got a better view.”

“You only say that because you’re tired of yours,” Kira laughed. “I wouldn’t say no to a peek into the Slytherin common room, at least.”

“You’ve never been in? Really?”

“Why, you’ve been in the Gryffindor one?”

“And Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Plenty of times,” Malia answered. “Granted, not all of those were allowed, but yeah. I thought everyone did that?”

“Could you show me then?” Kira asked, eyes bright.

“Only mine, I don’t know the passwords to the others, but yeah, sure.”

Malia felt Kira clasp their hands together.

“Let’s go now, then!”

“It’s very green,” Malia warned.

“I could’ve guessed that alone.”

“Do you know where it is, at least?”

“Somewhere under the lake, right?”

They kept talking, entered the castle without even a glance at the doors, to wrapped up in the conversation. Neither of them tried to get their hand back.

* * *

The first few days passed quickly. They did some of their homework, Malia threw her books at a few first years yelling in the Gryffindor common room, Kira took her out on long walks after frustrating readings, and they talked, sometimes before going to sleep, sometimes lying down in one of their common rooms after a good meal, and pretty much all the time in between, too. They kept sleeping in the same room, each on a bed – Malia had taken Allison’s. They’d fallen into a nice rhythm, and it all felt natural by then.

The first snowflake fell from the sky early in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. They didn’t see it, of course, engrossed – or, well, focused, at least – on their Astrology homework, exchanging remarks on both the subject and Derek’s – Professor Hale, though it wasn’t natural for either of them to call him that – slight obsession with the moon. Malia was tempted to give a few hints, but didn’t – this was not their secret to tell.

Only when they turned their head around, their neck sore from the time passed hunched over their essay, did Malia realize it was snowing. They contemplated the fall for a few seconds through one of the large windows, mesmerized, before they shook Kira’s arm.

“Look,” Malia said, softly.

Kira looked up and let out a squeal of excitement. She got up and ran to the window, followed by a slower Malia who went to stand next to her. The snow fell lightly, but had already covered the ground. Everything, from the base of the castle to the lake and the Quidditch stadium, was completely white.

They stood like this for a minute, only watching the snowflakes swirling in the air, sometimes coming to melt on the window. Everything was silent, save for the fire’s crackling. Even their breathes were so low and slow that they couldn’t be heard.

Kira was the first to snap out of it.

“Come on!” she laughed, tugging on Malia’s hand. “Let’s go!”

“What, outside?”

“Of course! Where else?”

Malia opened their mouth to protest, but Kira’s excitement was too precious and cute to see. They grumbled for show, but put on their gloves, hat and coat like Kira and let her lead them outside.

They weren’t the first ones to have to idea, as was made obvious by the steps and yells of other students, both in and out of the castle, but with Kira being one of them, Malia found they didn’t care that much for once. They practically ran hand in hand as the snow kept falling, light enough that they wouldn’t get lost in a storm but thick enough that the ground was already covered with a few inches.

“This is amazing! First snow, just in time for Christmas!” Kira practically screamed, bouncing up and down as she tried catching snowflakes on her tongue.

“Yep, now it’ll look like Christmas,” Malia agreed, eyes fixed on Kira’s face.

She smiled and smiled and smiled, making them run around the whole castle twice, their hands still together, and Kira didn’t let go of Malia’s even when she went down without a warning, letting herself fall on her back. Malia followed suit with a startled scream, the cold of the snow immediately on their neck. But they were still holding hands, and somehow the cold didn’t really reach Malia then.

“Are you exaggerating or do you actually like snow that much?” they asked instead, out of breath.

“No exaggeration here,” Kira laughed, just as breathless. “I really do love it that much. Let’s make angels!”

She started moving her legs and arms, making Malia’s left arm move with her. Malia didn’t imitate her, though, still staring at her with what they knew was a terribly fond look on their face. They had to erase it before Kira stopped moving and looked at them again.

Kira stopped, let one last little laugh escape from her lips, and turned her head toward Malia, following the line of their arms and their hands. Her smile faded, little by little, until they were just staring at each other. Malia knew they still wore the same expression.

“Mal?”

“Yeah?” Malia answered immediately, their eyes going briefly to Kira’s mouth before taking in her whole face again.

Kira didn’t say anything more. A few more seconds passed, the silence around them growing, sounds and world muffled by the snow. From where they were lying, they wouldn’t see anything other than the sky, if they had stopped looking at each other.

Malia closed their eyes and sat up, taking back their hand. Kira let it go after a second of resistance and did the same. Malia felt her eyes still on them, knew only the cold was preventing them from turning bright red. They’d been stupid. They should have been better at hiding their face – they didn’t want to be found out like that, because they’d been careless.

“Want to-” they started, turning back to Kira.

They were cut off by soft lips pressed on theirs, incredibly warm after so much time exposed to the snow and the cold wind. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, and Kira pulled back, opening her eyes with a flutter. Both were speechless.

“I’m- Oh no, I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Want to get back inside and have hot chocolate?” Malia cut her off, their voice low.

Kira stopped and blinked once, twice.

“You mean-”

“And maybe more kisses. I like these,” Malia added, taking her hand back in theirs.

“Oh. Yes. Yes, great idea.”

They looked at each other for another moment before getting up and walking back to the castle, hands still clasped together. The warm air hit them when the doors opened and they let go to get out of their winter clothes, and they went to the Gryffindor dormitory to leave them before getting back in the common room. There had been warm drinks left around for days now, replaced by the house elves every day and refilled when they were empty. Malia sat on a sofa and Kira brought them both a steaming mug. They were alone in the room.

“Uhm,” Malia started after a few minutes of silence and stolen glances.

“That wasn’t–that wasn’t a no, was it?” Kira blurted out, clenching her hands around her mug.

“Kind of the opposite, yeah,” Malia confirmed, putting theirs down on a nearby table.

“Oh. Good.”

”So about those kisses?” Malia challenged.

This time, the nerves they felt in their stomach every time they interacted were from a delicious kind of apprehension, and when Kira smiled, it loosened and tightened at once. Malia felt their lips stretch the same way, and then they were both leaning in.

The second time was better, and the third even more, and they got closer, snuggled together in front of the fire, their drinks kind of forgotten. They stopped after a while, as breathless as they had been after running in the snow, and looked into each others’ eyes before laughing, happy.

“Does this count as a Christmas present?” Kira asked, intertwining their fingers.

“The best one,” Malia answered.

“I hadn’t pictured it going like this,” Kira admitted.

“How did you think it would happen?”

“I don’t know. Later, after much despairing about my hopeless crush on my part, probably.”

“That’s my part,” Malia answered. “Well, no, Lydia would kick me in the head if I’d done that, and she’d be right, but I didn’t think-”

“I may have kind of asked my dad to stay this year,” Kira interrupted, blushing again.

“Seriously?”

There was laughter in Malia’s voice, and Kira looked up again.

“I didn’t think it would work so well,” she smiled. “I felt ridiculous asking him, even though I didn’t tell him why.”

“I’m glad you did,” Malia smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

* * *

The next morning, they awoke to the sight of each other. The snow was falling again and the light was just strong enough to let them look at each other, lying on the two beds they’d pushed together. They were barely touching, but their hands rested between them, fingers loosely wrapped around each others.

“Merry Christmas,” Malia said softly.

“I think this one will be, yes,” Kira answered.

**Author's Note:**

> there's a [tumblr post](http://transwolfnetwork.tumblr.com/post/135812601170/snow-for-kisses) if you want to reblog or like or save it on your blog there.


End file.
